Education and Outreach: June 2012

The Gordon Research Seminar on Geobiology is a unique forum for graduate students, post-docs, and other scientists with comparable levels of experience and education to present and exchange new data and cutting edge ideas.

The focus of this meeting is to explore the diverse and dynamic field of geobiology. The discussions and presentations will address these main themes:

* microbial structures in ancient and modern settings
* taphonomy and micropaleontology
* biomineralization and the co-evolution of minerals and microbes
* life detection for applications to early life on Earth and other planets
* integrating geobiobiology into interdisciplinary research and academic programs

1. Dr. Prabhakar Misra, from Howard University, will conduct fluorescence and Raman spectroscopy of organic molecules of relevance to the spectral library of potential contaminants for the Mars Science Laboratory mission, in the laboratory of Paul Mahaffy at NASA Goddard.

2. Dr. Hany Sobhi, from Coppin State University will work with Natasha Johnson, at NASA Goddard, to investigate the Fischer -Tropsch-Type (FTT) Catalysis reaction mechanism for the production of insoluble and volatile organic molecules in the protostellar nebula.

Several sessions at the 2012 Astrobiology Science Conference were broadcast live via Adobe Connect and recorded. An archive of talks from 18 sessions is now available for viewing online via the AbSciCon website. For more information: http://abscicon2012.arc.nasa.gov/recorded_talks/